Interactive video game system

ABSTRACT

An interactive video game system includes an array of volumetric sensors disposed around a play area and configured to collect respective volumetric data for each of a plurality of players. The system includes a controller communicatively coupled to the array of volumetric sensors. The controller is configured to: receive, from the array of volumetric sensors, respective volumetric data of each of the plurality of players; to combine the respective volumetric data of each of the plurality of players to generate at least one respective model for each of the plurality of players; to generate a respective virtual representation for each player of the plurality of players based, at least in part, on the generated at least one respective model of each player of the plurality of players; and to present the generated respective virtual representation of each player of the plurality of players in a virtual environment.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to video game systems and, morespecifically, to an interactive video game system that enablessimultaneous multi-player game play.

Video game systems generally enable players to control characters in avirtual environment to achieve predefined goals or objectives.Traditional video game systems generally rely on manual input devices,such as joysticks, game controllers, keyboards, and so forth, to enableplayers to control characters within the virtual environment of thegame. Additionally, certain modern video game systems can include acamera capable of tracking the movements of players, enabling players tocontrol video game characters based on their movements. However, thesesystems typically suffer from issues with occlusion, in which a portionof a player is at least temporarily obscured from the camera and, as aresult, the system is no longer able to accurately track the position ormovements of the player. For example, occlusion can cause jittering orstuttering in the movements of the characters in the virtualenvironment, as well as other imprecise or erroneous translation ofplayer actions into character actions within the game. Additionally, formulti-player video game systems, the potential for occlusiondramatically increases with the number of players.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Present embodiments are directed to an interactive video game systemthat includes an array of volumetric sensors disposed around a play areathat is configured to collect respective volumetric data for each of aplurality of players. The system includes a controller communicativelycoupled to the array of volumetric sensors. The controller is configuredto receive, from the array of volumetric sensors, respective volumetricdata of each of the plurality of players. The controller is configuredto combine the respective volumetric data of each of the plurality ofplayers to generate at least one respective model for each of theplurality of players. The controller is also configured to generate arespective virtual representation for each player of the plurality ofplayers based, at least in part, on the generated at least onerespective model of each player of the plurality of players. Thecontroller is further configured to present the generated respectivevirtual representation of each player of the plurality of players in avirtual environment.

Present embodiments are also directed to an interactive video gamesystem having a display device disposed near a play area and configuredto display a virtual environment to a plurality of players in the playarea. The system includes an array of sensing units disposed around theplay area, wherein each sensing unit of the array is configured todetermine a partial model of at least one player of the plurality ofplayers. The system also includes a controller communicatively coupledto the array of sensing units. The controller is configured to: receive,from the array of sensing units, the partial models of each player ofthe plurality of players; generate a respective model of each player ofthe plurality of players by fusing the partial models of each player ofthe plurality of players; determine in-game actions of each player ofthe plurality of players based, at least in part, on the generatedrespective model of each player of the plurality of players; and displaya respective virtual representation of each player of the plurality ofplayers in the virtual environment on the display device based, at leastin part, on the generated respective model and the in-game actions ofeach player of the plurality of players.

Present embodiments are also directed to a method of operating aninteractive video game system. The method includes receiving, viaprocessing circuitry of a controller of the interactive video gamesystem, partial models of a plurality of players positioned within aplay area from an array of sensing units disposed around the play area.The method includes fusing, via the processing circuitry, the receivedpartial models of each player of the plurality of players to generate arespective model of each player of the plurality of players. The methodincludes determining, via the processing circuitry, in-game actions ofeach player of the plurality of players based, at least in part, on thegenerated respective models of each player of the plurality of players.The method also includes presenting, via a display device, a virtualrepresentation of each player of the plurality of players in a virtualenvironment based, at least in part, on the generated respective modeland the in-game actions of each player of the plurality of players.

DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentdisclosure will become better understood when the following detaileddescription is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in whichlike characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an interactive videogame system that enables multiple players to control respective virtualrepresentations by performing actions in a three-dimensional (3D) playarea, in accordance with the present technique;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the interactivevideo game system having a two-dimensional (2D) play area, in accordancewith the present technique;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of skeletal and shadowmodels representative of players in the 3D play area, as well ascorresponding virtual representations of the players presented in thevirtual environment, in accordance with the present technique;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of skeletal and shadowmodels representative of players in the 2D play area, as well ascorresponding virtual representations of the players presented in thevirtual environment, in accordance with the present technique;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a process ofoperating the interactive game system, in accordance with the presenttechnique; and

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram that illustrates an example embodiment of aprocess by which the interactive video game system performs certainactions indicated in the flow diagram of FIG. 5, in accordance with thepresent technique.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As used herein, a “volumetric scanning data” refers to three-dimensional(3D) data, such as point cloud data, collected by optically measuring(e.g., imaging, ranging) visible outer surfaces of players in a playarea. As used herein, a “volumetric model” is a 3D model generated fromthe volumetric scanning data of a player that generally describes theouter surfaces of the player and may include texture data. A “shadowmodel,” as used herein, refers to a texture-less volumetric model of aplayer generated from the volumetric scanning data. As such, whenpresented on a two-dimensional (2D) surface, such as a display device,the shadow model of a player has a shape substantially similar to ashadow or silhouette of the player when illuminated from behind. A“skeletal model,” as used herein, refers to a 3D model generated fromthe volumetric scanning data of a player that defines predictedlocations and positions of certain bones (e.g., bones associated withthe arms, legs, head, spine) of a player to describe the location andpose of the player within a play area.

Present embodiments are directed to an interactive video game systemthat enables multiple players (e.g., up to 12) to perform actions in aphysical play area to control virtual representations of the players ina displayed virtual environment. The disclosed interactive video gamesystem includes an array having two or more volumetric sensors, such asdepth cameras and Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) devices, capableof volumetrically scanning each of the players. The system includessuitable processing circuitry that generates models (e.g., volumetricmodels, shadow models, skeletal models) for each player based on thevolumetric scanning data collected by the array of sensors, as discussedbelow. During game play, at least two volumetric sensors capture theactions of the players in the play area, and the system determines thenature of these actions based on the generated player models.Accordingly, the interactive video game system continuously updates thevirtual representations of the players and the virtual environment basedon the actions of the players and their corresponding in-game effects.

As mentioned, the array of the disclosed interactive video game systemincludes multiple volumetric sensors arranged around the play area tomonitor the actions of the players within the play area. This generallyensures that a skeletal model of each player can be accurately generatedand updated throughout game play despite potential occlusion from theperspective of one or more volumetric sensors of the array.Additionally, the processing circuitry of the system may use thevolumetric scanning data to generate aspects (e.g., size, shape,outline) of the virtual representations of each player within thevirtual environment. In certain embodiments, certain aspects (e.g.,color, texture, scale) of the virtual representation of each player maybe further adjusted or modified based on information associated with theplayer. As discussed below, this information may include informationrelated to game play (e.g., items acquired, achievements unlocked), aswell as other information regarding activities of the player outside ofthe game (e.g., player performance in other games, items purchased bythe player, locations visited by the player). Furthermore, thevolumetric scanning data collected by the array of volumetric sensorscan be used by the processing circuitry of the game system to generateadditional content, such as souvenir images in which a volumetric modelof the player is illustrated as being within the virtual world.Accordingly, the disclosed interactive video game system enablesimmersive and engaging experience for multiple simultaneous players.

With the foregoing in mind, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of anembodiment of an interactive video game system 10 that enables multipleplayers 12 (e.g., players 12A and 12B) to control respective virtualrepresentations 14 (e.g., virtual representations 14A and 14B),respectively, by performing actions in a play area 16. It may be notedthat while, for simplicity, the present description is directed to twoplayers 12 using the interactive video game system 10, in otherembodiments, the interactive video game system 10 can support more thantwo (e.g., 6, 8, 10, 12, or more) players 12. The play area 16 of theinteractive video game system 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is describedherein as being a 3D play area 16A. The term “3D play area” is usedherein to refer to a play area 16 having a width (corresponding to anx-axis 18), a height (corresponding to a y-axis 20), and depth(corresponding to a z-axis 22), wherein the system 10 generally monitorsthe movements each of players 12 along the x-axis 18, y-axis 20, andz-axis 22. The interactive video game system 10 updates the location ofthe virtual representations 14 presented on a display device 24 along anx-axis 26, a y-axis 28, and z-axis 30 in a virtual environment 32 inresponse to the players 12 moving throughout the play area 16. While the3D play area 16A is illustrated as being substantially circular, inother embodiments, the 3D play area 16A may be square shaped,rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal, or any other suitable 3D shape.

The embodiment of the interactive video game system 10 illustrated inFIG. 1 includes a primary controller 34, having memory circuitry 33 andprocessing circuitry 35, that generally provides control signals tocontrol operation of the system 10. As such, the primary controller 34is communicatively coupled to an array 36 of sensing units 38 disposedaround the 3D play area 16A. More specifically, the array 36 of sensingunits 38 may be described as symmetrically distributed around aperimeter of the play area 16. In certain embodiments, at least aportion of the array 36 of sensing units 38 may be positioned above theplay area 16 (e.g., suspended from a ceiling or on elevated platforms orstands) and pointed at a downward angle to image the play area 16. Inother embodiments, at least a portion of the array 36 of sensing units38 may be positioned near the floor of the play area 16 and pointed atan upward angle to image the play area 16. In certain embodiments, thearray 36 of the interactive video game system 10 may include at leasttwo at least two sensing units 38 per player (e.g., players 12A and 12B)in the play area 16. Accordingly, the array 36 of sensing units 38 issuitably positioned to image a substantial portion of potential vantagepoints around the play area 16 to reduce or eliminate potential playerocclusion.

In the illustrated embodiment, each sensing unit 38 includes arespective volumetric sensor 40, which may be an infra-red (IR) depthcamera, a LIDAR device, or another suitable ranging and/or imagingdevice. For example, in certain embodiments, all of the volumetricsensors 40 of the sensing units 38 in the array 36 are either IR depthcameras or LIDAR devices, while in other embodiments, a mixture of bothIR depth cameras and LIDAR devices are present within the array 36. Itis presently recognized that both IR depth cameras and LIDAR devices canbe used to volumetrically scan each of the players 12, and the collectedvolumetric scanning data can be used to generate various models of theplayers, as discussed below. For example, in certain embodiments, IRdepth cameras in the array 36 may be used to collect data to generateskeletal models, while the data collected by LIDAR devices in the array36 may be used to generate volumetric and/or shadow models of theplayers 12, which is discussed in greater detail below. It is alsorecognized that LIDAR devices, which collect point cloud data, aregenerally capable of scanning and mapping a larger area than depthcameras, typically with better accuracy and resolutions. As such, incertain embodiments, at least one sensing unit 38 of the array 36includes a corresponding volumetric sensor 40 that is a LIDAR device toenhance the accuracy or resolution of the array 36 and/or to reduce atotal number of sensing units 38 present in the array 36.

Further, each illustrated sensing unit 38 includes a sensor controller42 having suitable memory circuitry 44 and processing circuitry 46. Theprocessing circuitry 46 of each sensor unit 38 executes instructionsstored in the memory circuitry 44 to enable the sensing unit 38 tovolumetrically scan the players 12 to generate volumetric scanning datafor each of the players 12. For example, in the illustrated embodiment,the sensing units 38 are communicatively coupled to the primarycontroller 34 via a high-speed internet protocol (IP) network 48 thatenables low-latency exchange of data between the devices of theinteractive video game system 10. Additionally, in certain embodiments,the sensing units 38 may each include a respective housing that packagesthe sensor controller 42 together with the volumetric sensor 40.

It may be noted that, in other embodiments, the sensing units 38 may notinclude a respective sensor controller 42. For such embodiments, theprocessing circuitry 35 of the primary controller 34, or other suitableprocessing circuitry of the system 10, is communicatively coupled to therespective volumetric sensors 40 of the array 36 to provide controlsignals directly to, and to receive data signals directly from, thevolumetric sensors 40. However, it is presently recognized thatprocessing (e.g., filtering, skeletal mapping) the volumetric scanningdata collected by each of these volumetric sensors 40 can beprocessor-intensive. As such, in certain embodiments, it can beadvantageous to divide the workload by utilizing dedicated processors(e.g., processors 46 of each of the sensor controllers 42) to processthe volumetric data collected by the respective sensor 40, and then tosend processed data to the primary controller 34. For example, in theillustrated embodiment, each of processors 46 of the sensor controllers42 process the volumetric scanning data collected by their respectivesensor 40 to generate partial models (e.g., partial volumetric models,partial skeletal models, partial shadow models) of each of the players12, and the processing circuitry 35 of the primary controller 34receives and fuses or combines the partial models to generate completemodels of each of the players 12, as discussed below.

Additionally, in certain embodiments, the primary controller 34 may alsoreceive information from other sensing devices in and around the playarea 16. For example, the illustrated primary controller 34 iscommunicatively coupled to a radio-frequency (RF) sensor 45 disposednear (e.g., above, below, adjacent to) the 3D play area 16A. Theillustrated RF sensor 45 receives a uniquely identifying RF signal froma wearable device 47, such as a bracelet or headband having aradio-frequency identification (RFID) tag worn by each of the players12. In response, the RF sensor 45 provides signals to the primarycontroller 34 regarding the identity and the relative positions of theplayers 12 in the play area 16. As such, for the illustrated embodiment,processing circuitry 35 of the primary controller 34 receives andcombines the data collected by the array 36, and potentially othersensors (e.g., RF sensor 45), to determine the identities, locations,and actions of the players 12 in the play area 16 during game play.Additionally, the illustrated primary controller 34 is communicativelycoupled to a database system 50, or any other suitable data repositorystoring player information. The database system 50 includes processingcircuitry 52 that executes instructions stored in memory circuitry 54 tostore and retrieve information associated with the players 12, such asplayer models (e.g., volumetric, shadow, skeletal), player statistics(e.g., wins, losses, points, total game play time), player attributes orinventory (e.g., abilities, textures, items), player purchases at a giftshop, player points in a loyalty rewards program, and so forth. Theprocessing circuitry 35 of the primary controller 34 may query,retrieve, and update information stored by the database system 50related to the players 12 to enable the system 10 to operate as setforth herein.

Additionally, the embodiment of the interactive video game system 10illustrated in FIG. 1 includes an output controller 56 that iscommunicatively coupled to the primary controller 34. The outputcontroller 56 generally includes processing circuitry 58 that executesinstructions stored in memory circuitry 60 to control the output ofstimuli (e.g., audio signals, video signals, lights, physical effects)that are observed and experienced by the players 12 in the play area 16.As such, the illustrated output controller 56 is communicatively coupledto audio devices 62 and display device 24 to provide suitable controlsignals to operate these devices to provide particular output. In otherembodiments, the output controller 56 may be coupled to any suitablenumber of audio and/or display devices. The display device 24 may be anysuitable display device, such as a projector and screen, a flat-screendisplay device, or an array of flat-screen display devices, which isarranged and designed to provide a suitable view of the virtualenvironment 32 to the players 12 in the play area 16. In certainembodiments, the audio devices 62 may be arranged into an array aboutthe play area 16 to increase player immersion during game play. In otherembodiments, the system 10 may not include the output controller 56, andthe processing circuitry 35 of the primary controller 34 may becommunicatively coupled to the audio devices 62, display device 34, andso forth, to generate the various stimuli for the players 12 in the playarea 16 to observe and experience.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the interactivevideo game system 10, which enables multiple players 12 (e.g., player12A and 12B) to control virtual representations 14 (e.g., virtualrepresentations 14A and 14B) by performing actions in the play area 16.The embodiment of the interactive video game system 10 illustrated inFIG. 2 includes many of the features discussed herein with respect toFIG. 1, including the primary controller 34, the array 36 of sensingunits 38, the output controller 56, and the display device 24. However,the embodiment of the interactive video game system 10 illustrated inFIG. 2 is described herein as having a 2D play area 16B. The term “2Dplay area” is used herein to refer to a play area 16 having a width(corresponding to the x-axis 18) and a height (corresponding to they-axis 20), wherein the system 10 generally monitors the movements eachof players 12 along the x-axis 18 and y-axis 20. For the embodimentillustrated in FIG. 2, the players 12A and 12B are respectively assignedsections 70A and 70B of the 2D play area 16B, and the players 12 do notwander outside of their respective assigned sections during game play.The interactive video game system 10 updates the location of the virtualrepresentations 14 presented on the display device 24 along the x-axis26 and the y-axis 28 in the virtual environment 32 in response to theplayers 12 moving (e.g., running along the x-axis 18, jumping along they-axis 20) within the 2D play area 16B.

Additionally, the embodiment of the interactive video game system 10illustrated in FIG. 2 includes an interface panel 74 that can enableenhanced player interactions. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the interfacepanel 74 includes a number of input devices 76 (e.g., cranks, wheels,buttons, sliders, blocks) that are designed to receive input from theplayers 12 during game play. As such, the illustrated interface panel 74is communicatively coupled to the primary controller 34 to providesignals to the controller 34 indicative of how the players 12 aremanipulating the input devices 76 during game play. The illustratedinterface panel 74 also includes a number of output devices 78 (e.g.,audio output devices, visual output devices, physical stimulationdevices) that are designed to provide audio, visual, and/or physicalstimuli to the players 12 during game play. As such, the illustratedinterface panel 74 is communicatively coupled to the output controller56 to receive control signals and to provide suitable stimuli to theplayers 12 in the play area 16 in response to suitable signals from theprimary controller 34. For example, the output devices 78 may includeaudio devices, such as speakers, horns, sirens, and so forth. Outputdevices 78 may also include visual devices such as lights or displaydevices of the interface panel 74. In certain embodiments, the outputdevices 78 of the interface panel 74 include physical effect devices,such as an electronically controlled release valve coupled to acompressed air line, which provides burst of warm or cold air or mist inresponse to a suitable control signal from the primary controller 34 orthe output controller 56.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the array 36 of sensing units 38 disposedaround the 2D play area 16B of the illustrated embodiment of theinteractive video game system 10 includes at least two sensing units 38.That is, while the embodiment of the interactive video game system 10illustrated in FIG. 1 includes the array 36 having at least two sensingunits 38 per player, the embodiment of the interactive video game system10 illustrated in FIG. 2 includes the array 36 that may include as fewas two sensing units 38 regardless of the number of players. In certainembodiments, the array 36 may include at least two sensing unitsdisposed at right angles (90°) with respect to the players 12 in the 2Dplay area 16B. In certain embodiments, the array 36 may additionally oralternatively include at least two sensing units disposed on oppositesides (180°) with respect to the players 12 in the play area 16B. By wayof specific example, in certain embodiments, the array 36 may includeonly two sensing units 38 disposed on different (e.g., opposite) sidesof the players 12 in the 2D play area 16B.

As mentioned, the array 36 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is capable ofcollecting volumetric scanning data for each of the players 12 in theplay area 16. In certain embodiments, the collected volumetric scanningdata can be used to generate various models (e.g., volumetric, shadow,skeletal) for each player, and these models can be subsequently updatedbased on the movements of the players during game play, as discussedbelow. However, it is presently recognized that using volumetric modelsthat include texture data is substantially more processor intensive(e.g., involves additional filtering, additional data processing) thanusing shadow models that lack this texture data. For example, in certainembodiments, the processing circuitry 35 of the primary controller 34can generate a shadow model for each of the players 12 from volumetricscanning data collected by the array 36 by using edge detectiontechniques to differentiate between the edges of the players 12 andtheir surroundings in the play area 16. It is presently recognized thatsuch edge detection techniques are substantially lessprocessor-intensive and involve substantially less filtering than usinga volumetric model that includes texture data. As such, it is presentlyrecognized that certain embodiments of the interactive video game system10 generate and update shadow models instead of volumetric models thatinclude texture, enabling a reduction in the size, complexity, and costof the processing circuitry 35 of the primary controller 34.Additionally, as discussed below, the processing circuitry 34 cangenerate the virtual representations 14 of the players 12 based, atleast in part, on the generated shadow models.

As mentioned, the volumetric scanning data collected by the array 36 ofthe interactive video game system 10 can be used to generate variousmodels (e.g., volumetric, shadow, skeletal) for each player. Forexample, FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating skeletal models 80 (e.g.,skeletal models 80A and 80B) and shadow models 82 (e.g., shadow models82A and 82B) representative of players in the 3D play area 16A. FIG. 3also illustrates corresponding virtual representations 14 (e.g., virtualrepresentations 14A and 14B) of these players presented in the virtualenvironment 32 on the display device 24, in accordance with the presenttechnique. As illustrated, the represented players are located atdifferent positions within the 3D play area 16A of the interactive videogame system 10 during game play, as indicated by the locations of theskeletal models 80 and the shadow models 82. The illustrated virtualrepresentations 14 of the players in the virtual environment 32 aregenerated, at least in part, based on the shadow models 82 of theplayers. As the players move within the 3D play area 16A, as mentionedabove, the primary controller 34 tracks these movements and accordinglygenerates updated skeletal models 80 and shadow models 82, as well asthe virtual representations 14 of each player.

Additionally, embodiments of the interactive video game system 10 havingthe 3D play area 16A, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, enable playermovement and tracking along the z-axis 22 and translates it to movementof the virtual representations 14 along the z-axis 30. As illustrated inFIG. 3, this enables the player represented by the skeletal model 80Aand shadow model 82A and to move a front edge 84 of the 3D play area16A, and results in the corresponding virtual representation 14A beingpresented at a relatively deeper point or level 86 along the z-axis 30in the virtual environment 32. This also enables the player representedby skeletal model 80B and the shadow model 82B to move to a back edge 88of the 3D play area 16A, which results in the corresponding virtualrepresentation 14B being presented at a substantially shallower point orlevel 90 along the z-axis 30 in the virtual environment 32. Further, forthe illustrated embodiment, the size of the presented virtualrepresentations 14 is modified based on the position of the playersalong the z-axis 22 in the 3D play area 16A. That is, the virtualrepresentation 14A positioned relatively deeper along the z-axis 30 inthe virtual environment 32 is presented as being substantially smallerthan the virtual representation 14B positioned at a shallower depth orlayer along the z-axis 30 in the virtual environment 32.

It may be noted that, for embodiments of the interactive game system 10having the 3D player area 16A, as represented in FIGS. 1 and 3, thevirtual representations 14 may only be able to interact with virtualobjects that are positioned at a similar depth along the z-axis 30 inthe virtual environment 32. For example, for the embodiment illustratedin FIG. 3, the virtual representation 14A is capable of interacting witha virtual object 92 that is positioned deeper along the z-axis 30 in thevirtual environment 32, while the virtual representation 14B is capableof interacting with another virtual object 94 that is positioned arelatively shallower depth along the z-axis 30 in the virtualenvironment 32. That is, the virtual representation 14A is not able tointeract with the virtual object 94 unless that player represented bythe models 80A and 82A changes position along the z-axis 22 in the 3Dplay area 16A, such that the virtual representation 14A moves to asimilar depth as the virtual object 94 in the virtual environment 32.

For comparison, FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of skeletalmodels 80 (e.g., skeletal models 80A and 80B) and shadow models 82(e.g., shadow models 82A and 82B) representative of players in the 2Dplay area 16B. FIG. 4 also illustrates virtual representations 14 (e.g.,virtual representations 14A and 14B) of the players presented on thedisplay device 24. As the players move within the 2D play area 16B, asmentioned above, the primary controller 34 tracks these movements andaccordingly updates the skeletal models 80, the shadow models 82, andthe virtual representations 14 of each player. As mentioned, embodimentsof the interactive video game system 10 having the 2D play area 16Billustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4 do not track player movement along a z-axis(e.g., z-axis 22 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3). Instead, for embodimentswith the 2D play area 16B, the size of the presented virtualrepresentations 14 may be modified based on a status or condition of theplayers inside and/or outside of game play. For example, in FIG. 4, thevirtual representation 14A is substantially larger than the virtualrepresentation 14B. In certain embodiments, the size of the virtualrepresentations 14A and 14B may be enhanced or exaggerated in responseto the virtual representation 14A or 14B interacting with a particularitem, such as in response to the virtual representation 14A obtaining apower-up during a current or previous round of game play. In otherembodiments, the exaggerated size of the virtual representation 14A, aswell as other modifications of the virtual representations (e.g.,texture, color, transparency, items worn or carried by the virtualrepresentation), may be the result of the corresponding playerinteracting with objects or items outside of the interactive video gamesystem 10, as discussed below.

It is presently recognized that embodiments of the interactive videogame system 10 that utilize a 2D play area 16B, as represented in FIGS.2 and 4, enable particular advantages over embodiments of theinteractive video game system 10 that utilize the 3D play area 16A, asillustrated in FIG. 1. For example, as mentioned, the array 36 ofsensing units 38 in the interactive video game system 10 having the 2Dplay area 16B, as illustrated in FIG. 2, includes fewer sensing units 38than the interactive video game system 10 with the 3D play area 16A, asillustrated in FIG. 1. That is, depth (e.g., location and movement alongthe z-axis 22, as illustrated in FIG. 1) is not tracked for theinteractive video game system 10 having the 2D play area 16B, asrepresented in FIGS. 2 and 4. Additionally, since players 12A and 12Bremain in their respective assigned sections 70A and 70B of the 2D playarea 16B, the potential for occlusion is substantially reduced. Forexample, by having players remain within their assigned sections 70 ofthe 2D play area 16B occlusion between players only occurs predictablyalong the x-axis 18. As such, by using the 2D play area 16B, theembodiment of the interactive video game system 10 illustrated in FIG. 2enables the use of a smaller array 36 having fewer sensing units 38 totrack the players 12, compared to the embodiment of the interactivevideo game system 10 of FIG. 1.

Accordingly, it is recognized that the smaller array 36 of sensing units38 used by embodiments of the interactive video game system 10 havingthe 2D play area 16B also generate considerably less data to beprocessed than embodiments having the 3D play area 16A. For example,because occlusion between players 12 is significantly more limited andpredictable in the 2D play area 16B of FIGS. 2 and 4, fewer sensingunits 38 can be used in the array 36 while still covering a substantialportion of potential vantage points around the play area 16. As such,for embodiments of the interactive game system 10 having the 2D playarea 16B, the processing circuitry 35 of the primary controller 34 maybe smaller, simpler, and/or more energy efficient, relative to theprocessing circuitry 35 of the primary controller 34 for embodiments ofthe interactive game system 10 having the 3D play area 16A.

As mentioned, the interactive video game system 10 is capable ofgenerating various models of the players 12. More specifically, incertain embodiments, the processing circuitry 35 of the primarycontroller 34 is configured to receive partial model data (e.g., partialvolumetric, shadow, and/or skeletal models) from the various sensingunits 38 of the array 36 and fuse the partial models into completemodels (e.g., complete volumetric, shadow, and/or skeletal models) foreach of the players 12. Set forth below is an example in which theprocessing circuitry 35 of the primary controller 34 fuses partialskeletal models received from the various sensing units 38 of the array36. It may be appreciated that, in certain embodiments, the processingcircuitry 35 of the primary controller 34 may use a similar process tofuse partial shadow model data into a shadow model and/or to fusepartial volumetric model data.

In an example, partial skeletal models are generated by each sensingunit 38 of the interactive video game system 10 and are subsequentlyfused by the processing circuitry 35 of the primary controller 34. Inparticular, the processing circuitry 35 may perform a one-to-one mappingof corresponding bones of each of the players 12 in each of the partialskeletal models generated by different sensing units 38 positioned atdifferent angles (e.g., opposite sides, perpendicular) relative to theplay area 16. In certain embodiments, relatively small differencesbetween the partial skeletal models generated by different sensing units38 may be averaged when fused by the processing circuitry 35 to providesmoothing and prevent jerky movements of the virtual representations 14.Additionally, when a partial skeletal model generated by a particularsensing unit differs significantly from the partial skeletal modelsgenerated by at least two other sensing units, the processing circuitry35 of the primary controller 34 may determine the data to be erroneousand, therefore, not include the data in the skeletal models 80. Forexample, if a particular partial skeletal model is missing a bone thatis present in the other partial skeletal models, then the processingcircuitry 35 may determine that the missing bone is likely the result ofocclusion, and may discard all or some of the partial skeletal model inresponse.

It may be noted that precise coordination of the components of theinteractive game system 10 is desirable to provide smooth and responsivemovements of the virtual representations 14 in the virtual environment32. In particular, to properly fuse the partial models (e.g., partialskeletal, volumetric, and/or shadow models) generated by the sensingunits 38, the processing circuitry 35 may consider the time at whicheach of the partial models is generated by the sensing units 38. Incertain embodiments, the interactive video game system 10 may include asystem clock 100, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, which is used tosynchronize operations within the system 10. For example, the systemclock 100 may be a component of the primary controller 34 or anothersuitable electronic device that is capable of generating a time signalthat is broadcast over the network 48 of the interactive video gamesystem 10. In certain embodiments, various devices coupled to thenetwork 48 may receive and use a time signal to adjust respective clocksat particular times (e.g., at the start of game play), and the devicesmay subsequently include timing data based on signals from theserespective clocks when providing game play data to the primarycontroller 34. In other embodiments, the various devices coupled to thenetwork 48 continually receive the time signal from the system clock 100(e.g., at regular microsecond intervals) throughout game play, and thedevices subsequently include timing data from the time signal whenproviding data (e.g., volumetric scanning data, partial model data) tothe primary controller 34. Additionally, the processing circuitry 35 ofthe primary controller 34 can determine whether a partial model (e.g., apartial volumetric, shadow, or skeletal model) generated by a sensorunit 38 is sufficiently fresh (e.g., recent, contemporary with otherdata) to be used to generate or update the complete model, or if thedata should be discarded as stale. Accordingly, in certain embodiments,the system clock 100 enables the processing circuitry 35 to properlyfuse the partial models generated by the various sensing units 38 intosuitable volumetric, shadow, and/or skeletal models of the players 12.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a process 110 foroperating the interactive game system 10, in accordance with the presenttechnique. It may be appreciated that, in other embodiments, certainsteps of the illustrated process 110 may be performed in a differentorder, repeated multiple times, or skipped altogether, in accordancewith the present disclosure. The process 110 illustrated in FIG. 5 maybe executed by the processing circuitry 35 of the primary controller 34alone, or in combination with other suitable processing circuitry (e.g.,processing circuitry 46, 52, and/or 58) of the system 10.

The illustrated embodiment of the process 110 begins with theinteractive game system 10 collecting (block 112) a volumetric scanningdata for each player. In certain embodiments, as illustrated in FIGS.1-4, the players 12 may be scanned or imaged by the sensing units 38positioned around the play area 16. For example, in certain embodiments,before game play begins, the players 12 may be prompted to strike aparticular pose, while the sensing units 38 of the array 36 collectvolumetric scanning data regarding each player. In other embodiments,the players 12 may be volumetrically scanned by a separate system priorto entering the play area 16. For example, a line of waiting players maybe directed through a pre-scanning system (e.g., similar to a securityscanner at an airport) in which each player is individuallyvolumetrically scanned (e.g., while striking a particular pose) tocollect the volumetric scanning data for each player. In certainembodiments, the pre-scanning system may be a smaller version of the 3Dplay area 16A illustrated in FIG. 1 or the 2D play area 16B in FIG. 2,in which an array 36 of sensing units 38 are positioned about anindividual player to collect the volumetric scanning data. In otherembodiments, the pre-scanning system may include fewer sensing units 38(e.g., 1, 2, 3) positioned around the individual player, and the sensingunits 38 are rotated around the player to collect the completevolumetric scanning data. It is presently recognized that it may bedesirable to collect the volumetric scanning data indicated in block 112while the players 12 are in the play area 16 to enhance the efficiencyof the interactive game system 10 and to reduce player wait times.

Next, the interactive video game system 10 generates (block 114)corresponding models for each player based on the volumetric scanningdata collected for each player. As set forth above, in certainembodiments, the processing circuitry 35 of the primary controller mayreceive partial models for each of the players from each of the sensingunits 38 in the array 36, and may suitably fuse these partial models togenerate suitable models for each of the players. For example, theprocessing circuitry 35 of the primary controller 34 may generate avolumetric model for each player that generally defines a 3D shape ofeach player. Additionally or alternatively, the processing circuitry 35of the primary controller 34 may generate a shadow model for each playerthat generally defines a texture-less 3D shape of each player.Furthermore, the processing circuitry 35 may also generate a skeletalmodel that generally defines predicted skeletal positions and locationsof each player within the play area.

Continuing through the example process 110, next, the interactive videogame system 10 generates (block 116) a corresponding virtualrepresentation for each player based, at least in part on, the on thevolumetric scanning data collected for each player and/or one or morethe models generated for each player. For example, in certainembodiments, the processing circuitry 35 of the primary controller 34may use a shadow model generated in block 114 as a basis to generate avirtual representation of a player. It may be appreciated that, incertain embodiments, the virtual representations 14 may have a shape oroutline that is substantially similar to the shadow model of thecorresponding player, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. In addition toshape, the virtual representations 14 may have other properties that canbe modified to correspond to properties of the represented player. Forexample, a player may be associated with various properties (e.g.,items, statuses, scores, statistics) that reflect their performance inother game systems, their purchases in a gift shop, their membership toa loyalty program, and so forth. Accordingly, properties (e.g., size,color, texture, animations, presence of virtual items) of the virtualrepresentation may be set in response to the various propertiesassociated with the corresponding player, and further modified based onchanges to the properties of the player during game play.

It may be noted that, in certain embodiments, the virtualrepresentations 14 of the players 12 may not have an appearance or shapethat substantially resembles the generated volumetric or shadow models.For example, in certain embodiments, the interactive video game system10 may include or be communicatively coupled to a pre-generated libraryof virtual representations that are based on fictitious characters(e.g., avatars), and the system may select particular virtualrepresentations, or provide recommendations of particular selectablevirtual representations, for a player generally based on the generatedvolumetric or shadow model of the player. For example, if the gameinvolves a larger hero and a smaller sidekick, the interactive videogame system 10 may select or recommend from the pre-generated library arelatively larger hero virtual representation for an adult player and arelatively smaller sidekick virtual representation for a child player.

The process 110 continues with the interactive video game system 10presenting (block 118) the corresponding virtual representations 14 ofeach of the players in the virtual environment 32 on the display device24. In addition to presenting, in certain embodiments, the actions inblock 118 may also include presenting other introductory presentations,such as a welcome message or orientation/instructional information, tothe players 12 in the play area 16 before game play begins. Furthermore,in certain embodiments, the processing circuitry 35 of the primarycontroller 34 may also provide suitable signals to set or modifyparameters of the environment within the play area 16. For example,these modifications may include adjusting house light brightness and/orcolor, playing game music or game sound effects, adjusting thetemperature of the play area, activating physical effects in the playarea, and so forth.

Once game play begins, the virtual representations 14 generated in block116 and presented in block 118 are capable of interacting with oneanother and/or with virtual objects (e.g., virtual objects 92 and 94) inthe virtual environment 32, as discussed herein with respect to FIGS. 3and 4. During game play, the interactive video game system 10 generallydetermines (block 120) the in-game actions of each of the players 12 inthe play area 16 and the corresponding in-game effects of these in-gameactions. Additionally, the interactive video game system 10 generallyupdates (block 122) the corresponding virtual representations 14 of theplayers 12 and/or the virtual environment 32 based on the in-gameactions of the players 12 in the play area 16 and the correspondingin-game effects determined in block 120. As indicated by the arrow 124,the interactive video game system 10 may repeat the steps indicated inblock 120 and 122 until game play is complete, for example, due to oneof the players 12 winning the round of game play or due to an expirationof an allotted game play time.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram that illustrates an example embodiment of amore detailed process 130 by which the interactive video game system 10performs the actions indicated in blocks 120 and 122 of FIG. 5. That is,the process 130 indicated in FIG. 6 includes a number of steps todetermine the in-game actions of each player in the play area and thecorresponding in-game effects of these in-game actions, as indicated bythe bracket 120, as well as a number of steps to update thecorresponding virtual representation of each player and/or the virtualenvironment, as indicated by the bracket 122. In certain embodiments,the actions described in the process 130 may be encoded as instructionsin a suitable memory, such as the memory circuitry 33 of the primarycontroller 34, and executed by a suitable processor, such as theprocessing circuitry 35 of the primary controller 34, of the interactivevideo game system 10. It should be noted that the illustrated process130 is merely provided as an example, and that in other embodiments,certain actions described may be performed in different orders, may berepeated, or may be skipped altogether.

The process 130 of FIG. 6 begins with the processing circuitry 35receiving (block 132) partial models from a plurality of sensor units inthe play area. As discussed herein with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2, theinteractive video game system 10 includes the array 36 of sensing units38 disposed in different positions around the play area 16, and each ofthese sensing units 38 is configured to generate one or more partialmodels (e.g. partial volumetric, shadow, and/or skeletal models) for atleast a portion of the players 12. Additionally, as mentioned, theprocessing circuitry 35 may also receive data from other devices (e.g.,RF scanner 45, input devices 76) regarding the actions of the players 16disposed within the play area 16. Further, as mentioned, these partialmodels may be timestamped based on a signal from the clock 100 andprovided to the processing circuitry 35 of the primary controller 34 viathe high-speed IP network 48.

For the illustrated embodiment of the process 130, after receiving thepartial models from the sensing units 38, the processing circuitry 35fuses the partial models to generate (block 134) updated models (e.g.,volumetric, shadow, and/or skeletal) for each player based on thereceived partial models. For example, the processing circuitry 35 mayupdate a previously generated model, such as an initial skeletal modelgenerated in block 114 of the process 110 of FIG. 5. Additionally, asdiscussed, when combining the partial models, the processing circuitry35 may filter or remove data that is inconsistent or delayed to improveaccuracy when tracking players despite potential occlusion or networkdelays.

Next, the illustrated process 130 continues with the processingcircuitry 35 identifying (block 136) one or more in-game actions of thecorresponding virtual representations 14 of each player 12 based, atleast in part, on the updated models of the players generated in block134. For example, the in-game actions may include jumping, running,sliding, or otherwise moving of the virtual representations 14 withinthe virtual environment 32. In-game actions may also include interactingwith (e.g., moving, obtaining, losing, consuming) an item, such as avirtual object in the virtual environment 32. In-game actions may alsoinclude completing a goal, defeating another player, winning a round, orother similar in-game actions.

Next, the processing circuitry 35 may determine (block 138) one or morein-game effects triggered in response to the identified in-game actionsof each of the players 12. For example, when the determined in-gameaction is a movement of a player, then the in-game effect may be acorresponding change in position of the corresponding virtualrepresentation within the virtual environment. When the determinedin-game action is a jump, the in-game effect may include moving thevirtual representation along the y-axis 20, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-4.When the determined in-game action is activating a particular power-upitem, then the in-game effect may include modifying a status (e.g., ahealth status, a power status) associated with the players 12.Additionally, in certain cases, the movements of the virtualrepresentations 14 may be accentuated or augmented relative to theactual movements of the players 12. For example, as discussed above withrespect to modifying the appearance of the virtual representation, themovements of a virtual representation of a player may be temporarily orpermanently exaggerated (e.g., able to jump higher, able to jumpfarther) relative to the actual movements of the player based onproperties associated with the player, including items acquired duringgame play, items acquired during other game play sessions, itemspurchased in a gift shop, and so forth.

The illustrated process 130 continues with the processing circuitry 35generally updating the presentation to the players in the play area 16based on the in-game actions of each player and the correspondingin-game effects, as indicated by bracket 122. In particular, theprocessing circuitry 35 updates (block 140) the corresponding virtualrepresentations 14 of each of the players 12 and the virtual environment32 based on the updated models (e.g., shadow and skeletal models) ofeach player generated in block 134, the in-game actions identified inblock 136, and/or the in-game effects determined in block 138, toadvance game play. For example, for the embodiments illustrated in FIGS.1 and 2, the processing circuitry 35 may provide suitable signals to theoutput controller 56, such that the processing circuitry 58 of theoutput controller 56 updates the virtual representations 14 and thevirtual environment 32 presented on the display device 24.

Additionally, the processing circuitry 35 may provide suitable signalsto generate (block 142) one or more sounds and/or one or more physicaleffects (block 144) in the play area 16 based, at least in part, on thedetermined in-game effects. For example, when the in-game effect isdetermined to be a particular virtual representation of a playercrashing into a virtual pool, the primary controller 34 may cause theoutput controller 56 to signal the speakers 62 to generate suitablesplashing sounds and/or physical effects devices 78 to generate a blastof mist. Additionally, sounds and/or physical effects may be produced inresponse to any number of in-game effects, including, for example,gaining a power-up, lowing a power-up, scoring a point, or movingthrough particular types of environments. Mentioned with respect to FIG.5, the process 130 of FIG. 6 may repeat until game play is complete, asindicated by the arrow 124.

Furthermore, it may be noted that the interactive video game system 10can also enable other functionality using the volumetric scanning datacollected by the array 36 of volumetric sensors 38. For example, asmentioned, in certain embodiments, the processing circuitry 35 of theprimary controller 34 may generate a volumetric model that that includesboth the texture and the shape of each player. At the conclusion of gameplay, the processing circuitry 35 of the primary controller 34 cangenerate simulated images that use the volumetric models of the playersto render a 3D likeness of the player within a portion of the virtualenvironment 32, and these can be provided (e.g., printed, electronicallytransferred) to the players 12 as souvenirs of their game playexperience. For example, this may include a print of a simulated imageillustrating the volumetric model of a player crossing a finish linewithin a scene from the virtual environment 32.

The technical effects of the present approach includes an interactivevideo game system that enables multiple players (e.g., two or more, fouror more) to perform actions in a physical play area (e.g., a 2D or 3Dplay area) to control corresponding virtual representations in a virtualenvironment presented on a display device near the play area. Thedisclosed system includes a plurality of sensors and suitable processingcircuitry configured to collect volumetric scanning data and generatevarious models, such as volumetric models, shadow models, and/orskeletal models, for each player. The system generates the virtualrepresentations of each player based, at least in in part, on agenerated player models. Additionally, the interactive video game systemmay set or modify properties, such as size, texture, and/or color, ofthe of the virtual representations based on various properties, such aspoints, purchases, power-ups, associated with the players.

While only certain features of the present technique have beenillustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes willoccur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understoodthat the appended claims are intended to cover all such modificationsand changes as fall within the true spirit of the present technique.Additionally, the techniques presented and claimed herein are referencedand applied to material objects and concrete examples of a practicalnature that demonstrably improve the present technical field and, assuch, are not abstract, intangible or purely theoretical. Further, ifany claims appended to the end of this specification contain one or moreelements designated as “means for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ” or“step for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ”, it is intended that suchelements are to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f). However, for anyclaims containing elements designated in any other manner, it isintended that such elements are not to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C.112(f).

The invention claimed is:
 1. An interactive video game system,comprising: an array of volumetric sensors disposed around a play areaand configured to collect respective volumetric data for each player ofa plurality of players; and a controller communicatively coupled to thearray of volumetric sensors and configured to: receive, from the arrayof volumetric sensors, the respective volumetric data of each player ofthe plurality of players; combine the respective volumetric data of eachplayer of the plurality of players to generate at least one respectiveshadow model of each player of the plurality of players; and present thegenerated respective shadow model of each player of the plurality ofplayers in a virtual environment; and a display device disposed near theplay area, wherein the display device is configured to display thevirtual environment to the plurality of players in the play area.
 2. Theinteractive video game system of claim 1, wherein the array ofvolumetric sensors comprises an array of LIDAR devices.
 3. Theinteractive video game system of claim 1, wherein the volumetric sensorsof the array are symmetrically distributed around a perimeter of theplay area.
 4. The interactive video game system of claim 1, wherein thecontroller is configured to: combine the respective volumetric data ofeach player of the plurality of players to generate at least onerespective skeletal model of each player of the plurality of players;determine in-game actions of each player of the plurality of players inthe play area and corresponding in-game effects based, at least in part,on the generated at least one respective skeletal model; and update thegenerated respective shadow model of each player of the plurality ofplayers and the virtual environment based on the determined in-gameactions and in-game effects.
 5. The interactive video game system ofclaim 1, wherein the controller is configured to: generate a respectivevolumetric model for each player of the plurality of players; andgenerate a simulated image that includes the volumetric model of aparticular player of the plurality of players within the virtualenvironment when game play concludes.
 6. The interactive video gamesystem of claim 1, wherein the play area is a three-dimensional (3D)play area and the array of volumetric sensors is configured to collectthe respective volumetric data for each player of the plurality ofplayers with respect to a width, a height, and a depth of the 3D playarea.
 7. The interactive video game system of claim 1, wherein the playarea is a two-dimensional (2D) play area and the array of volumetricsensors is configured to collect the respective volumetric data for eachof the plurality of players with respect to a width and a height of the2D play area.
 8. An interactive video game system, comprising: a displaydevice disposed near a play area and configured to display a virtualenvironment to a plurality of players in the play area; an array ofsensing units disposed around the play area, wherein each sensing unitof the array comprises respective processing circuitry configured todetermine a partial model of at least one player of the plurality ofplayers; a controller communicatively coupled to the array of sensingunits, wherein the controller is configured to: receive, from the arrayof sensing units, the partial models of each player of the plurality ofplayers; generate a respective model of each player of the plurality ofplayers by fusing the partial models of each player of the plurality ofplayers; determine in-game actions of each player of the plurality ofplayers based, at least in part, on the generated respective model ofeach player of the plurality of players; and display a respectivevirtual representation of each player of the plurality of players in thevirtual environment on the display device based, at least in part, onthe generated respective model and the in-game actions of each player ofthe plurality of players; and an interface panel communicatively coupledto the controller, wherein the interface panel comprises a plurality ofinput devices configured to receive input from the plurality of playersduring game play and electrical circuitry configured to transmit asignal to the controller that corresponds to the input.
 9. Theinteractive video game system of claim 8, wherein each sensing unit ofthe array of sensing units comprises a respective sensor communicativelycoupled to the respective processing circuitry, wherein the respectiveprocessing circuitry of each sensing unit of the array of sensing unitsis configured to determine a respective portion of the generatedrespective model of each player of the plurality of players based ondata collected by the respective sensor of the sensing unit.
 10. Theinteractive video game system of claim 9, wherein each sensing unit ofthe array of sensing units is communicatively coupled to the controllervia an internet protocol (IP) network, and wherein the interactive videogame system comprises a system clock configured to enable the controllerto synchronize the partial models of each player of the plurality ofplayers as the partial models are received along the IP network.
 11. Theinteractive video game system of claim 8, wherein the array of sensingunits comprises an array of depth cameras, LIDAR devices, or acombination thereof, symmetrically distributed around a perimeter of theplay area.
 12. The interactive video game system of claim 11, whereinthe array of sensing units is disposed above the plurality of playersand is directed at a downward angle toward the play area, and whereinthe array of sensing units comprises at least three sensing units. 13.The interactive video game system of claim 8, comprising aradio-frequency (RF) sensor communicatively coupled to the controller,wherein the controller is configured to receive data from the RF sensorto determine a relative position of a particular player of the pluralityof players relative to remaining players of the plurality of players,the data indicating an identity, a location, or a combination thereof,for each player of the plurality of players.
 14. The interactive videogame system of claim 8, wherein the interface panel comprises at leastone physical effects device configured to provide the plurality ofplayers with at least one physical effect based, at least in part, onthe determined in-game actions of each player of the plurality ofplayers.
 15. The interactive video game system of claim 8, comprising adatabase system communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein thecontroller is configured to query and receive information related to theplurality of players from the database system.
 16. The interactive videogame system of claim 15, wherein, to present the respective virtualrepresentation of each player of the plurality of players, thecontroller is configured to: query and receive the information relatedto the plurality of players; and determine how to modify the virtualrepresentation based on the received information.
 17. The interactivevideo game system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured togenerate the respective virtual representation of each player of theplurality of players based on the generated respective model of eachplayer of the plurality of players.
 18. The interactive video gamesystem of claim 8, wherein each of the partial models of each player ofthe plurality of players received from the array of sensing unitscomprises a partial shadow model, wherein the generated respective modelof each player of the plurality of players generated by the controllercomprises a shadow model, and wherein the respective virtualrepresentation of each player of the plurality of players presented bythe controller is directly based on the shadow model.
 19. A method ofoperating an interactive video game system, comprising: receiving, viaprocessing circuitry of a controller of the interactive video gamesystem, partial models of a plurality of players positioned within aplay area, wherein the partial models are generated by respective sensorprocessing circuitry of each sensing unit of an array of sensing unitsdisposed around the play area; fusing, via the processing circuitry, thereceived partial models of each player of the plurality of players togenerate a respective model of each player of the plurality of playerswherein each of the generated respective models comprises a respectiveshadow model; determining, via the processing circuitry, in-game actionsof each player of the plurality of players based, at least in part, onthe generated respective models of each player of the plurality ofplayers; and presenting, via a display device, the respective shadowmodel of each player of the plurality of players in a virtualenvironment based, at least in part, on the generated respective modelsand the in-game actions of each player of the plurality of players. 20.The method of claim 19, comprising: scanning, using a volumetric sensorof each sensing unit of the array of sensing units, each player of theplurality of players positioned within the play area; generating, viathe sensor processing circuitry of each sensing unit of the array ofsensing units, the partial models of each player of the plurality ofplayers; and providing, via a network, the partial models of each playerof the plurality of players to the processing circuitry of thecontroller.
 21. The method of claim 20, wherein each of the receivedpartial models comprises a partial volumetric model, a partial skeletalmodel, a partial shadow model, or a combination thereof.
 22. The methodof claim 19, wherein the plurality of players comprises at least twelveplayers that are simultaneously playing the interactive video gamesystem.
 23. The method of claim 21, wherein each of the received partialmodels comprises the partial shadow model.
 24. The method of claim 19,wherein the display device is disposed near the play area, and isconfigured to display the virtual environment to the plurality ofplayers in the play area.